Artists: TJ Kool and featuring E-Overtone

TJ KOOL STIRS QUITE A CONTROVERSY

Only once in a rare while there emerges from within our Pakistani-American ethnicity, a voice of social appreciation, reflection and rebellion with its roots or soul still very much soaked in South Asian “Desi” culture. In the case Ahmad Jilani or TJ Kool as he is professionally known, the love of music and song have culminated in his first English-Urdu-Punjabi CD, a lyrical journey that he has called “Controversy” which somewhat accurately describes the response that this collection is bound to generate from within our community.

TJ is a product of our environment here in Northern California. In “Controversy” he takes us through a part roller coaster and part river boat ride via his vocal & musical creativity which audiences of all ages will find something in. It is certainly a CD that young South Asian-Americans will be able to relate to quite easily, with “Desi” music now making small inroads into the American mainstream. And with the added English lyrics to songs here, a wider listening audience is indeed possible. The Punjabi “Bhangra” Beat’s marriage to local Pop and Hip-Hop may not be something common yet in the United States. But it has already made quite an impact in Britain and is in the process of crossing the Atlantic.

The first track in “Controversy” is “When the Lights go down” a naughty romantic number that somehow stays with the listener. “Aaja Goriyay” is the second track which has been made into a music video. A very hearty Punjabi musical beat keeps this song alive while the Punjabi/Urdu lyrics try to keep up. The next track “Sohinay” is very well done vocally and will go well with all ages of listeners. I really enjoyed this one. “Akhian” that follows will please Punjabi listeners but it will not offer them something new. “Never Stay Apart” at number 5 is much slower (in Urdu & English). It is not easy to keep up with because it appears present quite a vocal challenge. “Cant Get Enough”, mainly in English will certainly raise a few eyebrows but it is pleasant yet almost familiar listening. And that brings us to track 7 named “Punjab Hilda” which lives up to title straight from old Lyallalpur & Montgomery (current Faisalabad & Sahiwal) and one cannot forget Lahore & Rawalpindi. This Punjabi journey home is one that is possibly destined to be a hit (very well done). The much slower “Rab Karay” on track 8 is a beautiful number that brings out TJ’s voice and sentiments at their full potential. It is almost kind of addicting. Track 9 is another “Lights Go Down” albeit in a somewhat different garb, one which includes a tribute to the late Nazia Hassan. “Teri Tasveer” that follows is haunting and risqué (which has TJ testing many boundaries). Track 11 “Give it Up” is somewhat juvenile and I’m not sure was necessary to this collection, but that may just be my opinion. It will certainly get this CD banned in Pakistan and was possibly responsible for the title. And the same goes for the track 12 called “A Hood is a Hood.” But who knows how well the rebellious young will appreciate it? The inclusion of at least one profanity here will not go along well with parents even though this album is dedicated “to the man up above for making it possible”.

To conclude here “Controversy” will become controversial due to just a couple of songs that need not have been necessary. But how the music market here in the US reacts to it and the support that this CD receives in India or Pakistan will decide. I believe that it certainly launches TJ into the Desi music mainstream. And the fact that he is from Sacramento, California is important to our community which has literally seen his vocal skills grow. From once being a minor guest singer at a local Pakistani Independence Day event to an opening act for Junoon and now releasing a CD is wonderful. But as we will take a little pride in that fact that he is one of us, we may not let him off the hook easily on content.

(“Controversy” by TJ Kool and featuring E-Overtone is distributed by Illusive Records of San Francisco who can be reached at www.illusiverecords.com )